Tuniq Ensemble 1200W Review

Introduction:

Without thinking, you install your latest upgrade, an ultra super extreme graphics card, and fire up your gaming machine. Everything seems fine, the new drivers install like a dream and your new hardware is ready for use. You up the eye candy and prepare yourself for an evening of carnage on your favourite game. After thirty minutes the artifacts start, or worst still BSOD. What’s the problem? Did you consider the power requirements of your latest addition? Perhaps it’s time to upgrade your power supply.

The power requirements of today's high end gaming rigs are on the rise due mainly to the ever increasing needs of the latest graphics cards. The manufacturer of this hardware would have you believe you need a minature nuclear power station inside your PC, especially if you have a multi GPU setup with SLI or Crossfire. The actual power requirements of these systems are in my opinion debatable, but that’s not why we are here today. Let’s have a closer look at one of these minature nuclear power stations.

The Ensemble is one of the latest offerings from Tuniq, a division of Sunbeam Technology. Probably better known for its cooling solutions and cases, this power supply is available as a 1000 or 1200 watt version. We will be taking a closer look at the latter and putting it through its paces. I suspect it will prove more than capable of handling any high end gaming machine with plenty of room to spare, but let’s see how well it performs.

Closer Look:

The packaging uses a basic black and white theme with just a splash of color on the side panel photograph and rear panel graphs. Some would say boring and if you enjoy color, you won't enjoy this box. The first thing you see is a low resolution and slightly out of focus photograph of the Ensemble with a claim that the power supply is Super High Efficient (87%). We will test that later. The information on the packaging is kept to a minimum; photograph of the power supply on the front, features and small noise graphs on the rear, specification on one side panel and a photograph of the power supply with a list of the leads and connectors. I like the minimalist scheme, just enough information to get you interested and give you the impression that the power supply will speak for itself.

On opening the box, there isn't really too much to see. A box containing the accessories, another enclosing the leads, both bearing the Tuniq logo and a thick foam insert over the power supply. Lift off the foam insert and the power supply is further protected by a thin sheet of foam, presumably to protect the unit against scratching. All in all, very well packaged.

Along with the Ensemble you get a power cord, instruction manual, cable ties and four power supply mounting screws. The manual is badly translated and of questionable layout, but the essential information is present. The Ensemble also includes a set of adapter leads, which I will talk about later.